NGC Grades Newman Collection Part V

Posted
on 7/30/2014

The Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society has enlisted NGC to certify Part V of the Newman Collection, which includes five significant 1792 Washington pieces.

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has graded the fifth installment of the extraordinary collection of 103-year old numismatic researcher and writer Eric P. Newman. The selections comprise nearly 1,000 coins and boast a variety of exceedingly rare and high grade US Colonial, Territorial and Federal issues.

Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (EPNNES) previously selected NGC to certify the first four parts of the Newman Collection, which have sold at auction for $45 million. Conducted by Heritage Auctions, these sales have featured more than 6,000 NGC-certified US Colonial, Federal and Pattern coins as well as world coins collected by Newman over a period of 90 years.

“Newman Part V ranges from Colonial and Territorial pieces to large cents and early gold. The remarkable diversity of these selections reveals Newman’s absolute passion for collecting and research,” says Mark Salzberg, chairman of NGC. “We are honored that EPNNES continues to choose NGC to certify selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection.”

The Colonial selections in Newman Part V build upon those previously offered in Part IV of the collection. Newman Part IV was led by the 1776 Silver “EG FECIT” Continental Dollar graded NGC MS 63 that realized just over $1.4 million. Amazingly, Newman Part V includes six more outstanding 1776 Continental Dollars from the scholar’s collection, five of which are in Mint State grades.

This magnificent group includes two varieties of brass “CURENCY” Continental Dollars, graded NGC AU 50 and NGC MS 62, and four varieties of pewter Continental Dollars. The pewter pieces are topped by the stunning 1776 “EG FECIT” piece in NGC MS 66. The three other pewter pieces are: the “CURENCY” variety in NGC MS 62, the “CURRENCEY” variety in NGC MS 63, and the “CURRENCY” variety in NGC MS 64.

Also bearing the 1776 date of American Independence is Newman’s New Hampshire copper. Graded NGC VG 8 BN, it is believed to be one of only two examples in private hands. This extremely rare proposed coinage for New Hampshire features the patriotic legend “American Liberty” with a pine tree design on the obverse and a harp on the reverse.

Five significant 1792 Washington pieces are featured in the Newman selections. The Getz Small Eagle, Plain Edge “G. Washington President. I.” cent in NGC MS 64 BN is an exceptionally high grade example of this desirable issue. The four other 1792 Washington pieces include: a Roman Head cent in NGC PF 65 RB, a unique Eagle & Stars cent in NGC XF 40 BN, a “General of the American Armies” Reverse in NGC XF 45 BN and a “Washington Born Virginia” cent in NGC MS 65 BN.

Four Confederatio coppers—proposed coins for the newly independent United States—are notable for their rarity, exceptionally high grades and impressive pedigrees. These pieces are capped by a monumental NGC MS 64 BN specimen of the 1786 Immunis Columbia Confederatio Copper—the finest known example by a significant margin.

There is also the 1785 George Washington Confederatio Copper graded NGC VF 30 BN that traces its pedigree to the collections of Frothingham, Parmelee, Ten Eyck, Newcomer and Green, and both the large and small stars variants of the 1785 Inimica Tyrannis Confederatio Coppers. The former is pedigreed to Newcomer and Green, while the latter is pedigreed to Maris, Newlin, Garrett, Mehl and Green. They are graded NGC MS 63 BN and NGC VF 30 BN, respectively.

A trio of 1787 New York “Excelsior” Coppers—the Eagle Right, Arrows Left (NGC AU 50 BN), the Indian (NGC AU 50 BN) and the Indian and Eagle (NGC XF 40 BN) types—are worthy of mention. Newman Part V also contains two Immune Columbia pattern issues, including an exquisite 1785 silver example graded NGC AU 53.

The Colonial selections are rounded out by an impressive group of 1787 Fugio Coppers. Newman is the author of the standard reference for Fugio coppers and all of these pieces have been attributed by NGC with Newman catalog numbers. Among the most notable Fugio coppers are the 1787 Raised Rims Fugio Copper, Newman 1-Z, NGC MS 64 BN and the “FUCIO” Newman 2-C variety in NGC XF 40 BN.

The California Gold Rush and the lesser-known Georgia/North Carolina Gold Rush and Pike’s Peak (Colorado) Gold Rush are represented in Newman Part V by two dozen Territorial Gold coins. The most impressive of these are the two Wass, Molitor & Co. pieces: the 1855 $50 Gold “slug” in NGC MS 61 and the 1862 Wide Date, Large Head $10 graded NGC MS 63. Also included are several Bechtler pieces, a Mormon $5 in NGC MS 61, and two US Assay Office pieces.

Federal US coins begin with a 1794 dollar, which is one of just 1,758 pieces struck in the first year of this denomination. It is graded AU 50 by NGC.

The gold coins in Newman Part V have been described as a “time capsule collection” and reflect the types of coins available to a collector in the pre-war era. At that time, many gold coins were held in overseas bank vaults and high grade examples of a number of issues were entirely unavailable to collectors of the day. While some of the coins seem low grade by today’s standards, they were actually quite challenging to acquire at the time.

Nonetheless, there are quite a few eye-catching rare and high grade gold coins in these selections, the highlight of which is undoubtedly the 1867 Double Eagle. Graded NGC MS 66, it a full three grades higher than the second-finest known example.

1867 $20 - Finest KnownNGC MS 66Click images to enlarge.

Another superb gold piece is the 1898-S Half Eagle graded MS 68 by NGC. There is also a stunning NGC MS 66 specimen of the 1863 Three Dollar Gold piece, which had a mintage of just 5,000 coins.

Additional important gold rarities in Newman Part V include a 1795 13 Leaves Eagle in NGC MS 62 and a highly important original composition 1879 Flowing Hair $4 “Stella” graded NGC PF 65.

A sizeable working collection of large cents, including a number of varieties attributed by Sheldon and Newcomb catalog numbers, are listed in Newman Part V. The 1793 Sheldon-13 Liberty Cap Cent graded NGC AU 53 BN is significant as a high grade example of a rare early large cent variety.

1793 Sheldon-13 Liberty Cap CentNGC AU 53 BNClick images to enlarge.

Also noteworthy in Newman Part V is a compete 16-piece 1868 aluminum pattern proof set, including the cent through double eagle and the original holder. The grades range from NGC PF 63 to NGC PF 65 Cameo.

Prominent rare coin dealer and Colonial specialist Stuart Levine serves as advisor for EPNNES. Selections from Newman Part V will be sold by Heritage Auctions in November 2014. The catalog will be available online at HA.com in October.

EPNNES Foundation Statement Items being sold are from the extensive collection of Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society (a Missouri not-for-profit corporation) and have been assembled over a period of 90 years. Proceeds of the sale of all items will be used exclusively for supplementing the Society’s museum operations and scholarly numismatic research efforts and for the benefit of other not-for-profit institutions selected by Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society for public purposes.